Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Mommy Milkshare: Milk Drive Event to Benefit Fabella Milk Bank

Breastfeeding is best for babies. The World Health Organization states why it is so on their website, and also emphasizes that breastfeeding benefits the mothers who choose to breastfeed their babies.  

The reality though is that some mothers have the misconception that if they can't produce milk after giving birth, then they wont have milk at all thus they resort to formula feeding. This was  me with my two previous pregnancies, though I was able to breastfeed our eldest for a couple of months but eventually mixed fed. With our second baby, I never got the chance to breastfeed her at all. However, with our youngest, I was already equipped with right information thus I chose to breastfeed her for more than 2 years. It was not easy, there were a lot of struggles but we eventually survived it thanks to the breastfeeding support group I joined on Facebook, and of course support from the people around me especially my husband. I believe that breastfeeding should be given an importance in our country, we need to disseminate correct information to all expectant mothers in every community to encourage more women to choose breastfeeding. 

On the other hand, there are mommies who might not be able to breastfeed their children immediately after birth for legitimate medical reasons. There are also babies whose mothers may have passed away yet still need to be nourished with breast milk. 

In cases like these, milk donations or milksharing are usually the solution. It should be noted, though, that donor milk should be screened as much as possible, to ensure that it is safe and clean for the babies who will receive it. 

Are you a breastfeeding mom, or a mom who believes in the importance of breastfeeding? Then you will probably also consider milksharing or donating one’s breastmilk to be a noble endeavor. Here in the Philippines, human milk banks are actually always in need of breastmilk donations, so it is good to be aware of efforts to collect human milk – like the upcoming “Mommy Milkshare” event organized by The Parenting Emporium and Honeysuckle Philippines (which is actually on its second run; the first run was held in September last year.

Scheduled for August 13, 2016 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Parenting Emporium (No. 29, 1st Street, New Manila, QC), breastfeeding mothers are invited to donate their excess breastmilk for the benefit of Fabella Human Milk Bank.Donors can choose to bring frozen breastmilk (must be expressed between June to August 2016)or express milk onsite. 

In gratitude to the generous milk donors, VPharma’s Mega Malunggay, Mommy Treats, and Honeysuckle – brands that support milksharing – willbe giving discounts on select items. Mommy Milkshare participants will also receive loot bags as a “bonus” for their kindness, which is why they are also asked to register for the event via 0917-8110821. 


So, if you are a breastfeeding mom who wants to share her “milky blessings,” head on over to The Parenting Emporium this Saturday! Your efforts and kindness will help many babies who are supported by Fabella Human Milk Bank.

Note: If you want to donate breastmilk but can’t come to Mommy Milkshare, you may contact Nurse Katrina of The Parenting Emporium at 7253723 or 7386272, and ask how to donate to the TPE Milksharing Hub.

Sunday, August 7, 2016

Pest Off! Rat Glue Board and Cereal Bait: Product Review + Giveaway

"You pesky little critter I thought you were cute now you're just a little pain in our boot. 
You pesky little critters turning things upside down, you're messing up our friendly little town."


So this song from Sheriff Callie is the first thing that I thought of when I hear the word rat. (This is what happens when kids take over the television. LOL!) Though personally I don't find rats really cute. They look scary especially the big ones, they nibble on foods, nip on clothes and other stuff and they are filthy. What's even more scary is that they carry health threatening diseases, such as leptospirosis which is prevalent during rainy seasons. And boy am I glad that we don't have to deal with this pesky little critters here in the condo, well none that I know of. However, it's the opposite in Jaear's family house in Manila. That's why when I was given a box full of Pest Off! Rat Control products I knew it would be in good use. 

Pest Off! is a brand owned by Global Winds Corporation, a duly registered company with the Food and Drug Administration as a Household /Urban Hazardous Substance Distributor/Importer/Wholesaler. Pest Off! carries a wide variety of extensive insect and rat control products that has every family's well-being in mind.


Pest Off! sent me their 2 Rat control product line; the Ready to Use Cereal Bait and the Glue Boards.

Pest Off! Ready-to-Use Cereal Bait contains 2nd generation anticoagulant compound, Brodifacoum. Anticoagulants prevent blood clotting that leads to internal haemorrhaging and eventually to death of the rodent.


What I liked about the Pest Off! Ready-to-Use Cereal Bait
  • Effective- Since it contains 2nd generation anticoagulant, it effectively and efficiently eliminates rats and mice in just a single feeding. 
  • Affordable- It's affordable compared to other brands. Other brands also contain 1st generation anticoagulants Warfarin & Coumatetralyl which requires multiple doses so Pest Off! lasts longer.
Con:  
  • Cereal baits are poisonous and by far the least humane way to deal with rats. It sure is effective but it doesn't take effect instantly, rats still get the chance to run and hide so you still have to hunt for the dead stinking rat. 
Pest Off! Glue Boards on the other hand are the ultimate and modern rat and mice catching traps. It contains super adhesive and non-toxic glue that catches pesky rodents.

Considering that rats vary from house hold to house hold, Pest Off! provides consumers with 8 varieties of Pest-Off Glue Boards fit for the consumer's problems and needs.

 2 pcs. per set of unscented Cardboard Glue Board (Php142.75) and  Word Board Glue Board (Php148.75)


2pcs. Pest-Off Rat Catcher Plastic Board with Peanut and Cheese Attractant Scent (Php157.25)


4 pcs. Pest-Off Rat Catcher Plastic Board in unscented (Php90.25), Peanut and Cheese Attractant Scent (Php96.25)


Pest-Off! Glue Boards' super adhesive glue practically looks like "water in a shallow container". Because according to studies, rat's main important consumption is water; they need ½ to 1 ounce of water as it cannot survive long without it. So this design somehow lures the rats and mice to drink they eventually get trapped and die.

We are currently here in Manila for the wake of Jaear's grandmother who just died last Friday (a very sad event) so we got to test all the glue boards as well.

What I liked about the Glue Boards: 
  • Convenient- It's easy to use, just place them on the usual travel routes of mice and rats. Disposal is also hassle free, just place the board together with the rat and place in a tightly tied plastic bag.
  • Effective- As long as it's placed on the usual routes, rats will get trapped on the super adhesive glue. Rats can be seen dead right on their tracks therefore, no need to look for stinking and rotting rats all over the house.
  • Safe- The adhesive glue is non toxic so it's safe for everyone. In case a body part gets in contact with the adhesive, simply wipe away with baby oil or mineral oil and then wash with water and soap. 
  • Affordable- Compared to other brands, Pest Off! is more affordable with more varieties to choose from.
I actually couldn't think of anything that I'd like to change about the glue boards, I like everything about it and I highly recommend it to everyone. 

Just in time for the rainy season wherein flooding is highly anticipated, together with it comes a dreaded disease, leptospirosis and over 70 other health threatening diseases and serious infections. So it's really important to clean our house and get rid of those pesky critters. And to help you with that, I am giving away 2 Pest Off! Rat Control product line worth Php1,000 each to 2 lucky readers!

Winning is easy peasy, just enter and earn raffle entries through the rafflecopter widget below: 

P.S. I'll verify each entries at the end of the giveaway period so please make sure to follow mandatory steps to qualify. Thank you for your usual support!

Good luck everyone!


Monday, August 1, 2016

Kenwood Launched in the Philippines

I love to cook, but no I'm not an expert not even close. Good thing I have Google to save my butt in the kitchen. I mostly rely on Google for recipes and almost any questions I have related to cooking. Lol! But I've always dreamed of having a spacious kitchen complete with all the high quality kitchen appliances there is. I believe that having complete kitchen appliances will further motivate me to be the best cook I can be.
Who wouldn't be right? That's why I was eager to attend the launching of a famous and iconic British brand here in the Philippines. I was excited to see the range of products that they offer.

The event was held last July 21, 2016 at the Residence of the British Ambassador to the Philippines, Honorable Asif Ahmad in North Forbes Park. 

Kenwood has revolutionized home cooking and pioneered kitchen automation since 1947. It was founded by Kenneth Wood and  in 2,000 Kenwood joined De'Longhi Group which opened up a new era of expansion. Today, Kenwood is present in over 40 countries and produces over 200 different models. For over 60 years their most important mission is to delight customers and make their experience in the kitchen both easier and more rewarding. 


The event launched Kenwood's award-winning products which are driven by quality, innovation and design. Top Culinary Schools in Metro Manila; Enderun, CCA, ISCAHM and Southville Foreign University also participated by showcasing Filipino local food with a British twist that they prepared using Kenwood appliances. 

I personally liked the Kare-Kare Tortellini and the Filipino-British meat pie
with arroz ala cubana filling. 

 This British Flag themed cupcake pull parts are pretty, you don't wanna ruin it.


It was also thrilling to be able to witness the British Ambassador, Honorable Asif Ahmad do a live cooking demo, of course with the use of Kenwood appliance. 

For the event, Kenwood also collaborated with Mini Cooper to put on a show to everyone who attended. I can't believe what I witnessed in front my very eye, a Kenwood Mixer pulling/towing the Mini Copper with 4 people in it! Just wow! It only goes to show how sturdy Kenwood products are. 

Watch the video here:


It's no surprise that Kenwood won over 38-member jury of the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2015 beating 4,928 entries from 56 countries. Throughout the world and across different industries, Red Dot is seen as the award for high design quality. The international Red Dot jury bestows the sought-after seal of quality only to those products that stand out clearly from comparable entries thanks to their excellent design.

With my blogger friends Lhyzie and Eihdra.
The night was filled with sumptuous food, unlimited drinks and ended with a raffle. I won a Demo and Tasting GC to Enderun Colleges and my blogger friend Eihdra won a Kenwood Food processor, so lucky! How I wish to have my own Kenwood appliances in my kitchen too! 

Looking to the future, Kenwood’s aim is to carry on serving the needs of people's changing lifestyles — setting the standard for affordable, high quality innovation for millions of customers all over the world. And, I'm glad that Kenwood products are now available in the Philippines, so if you have passion for cooking like I do, then you should check out Kenwood product and share with me your experience! 

Friday, July 29, 2016

Say It with Confidence, Say It with Swish!

A few days ago, I came across a video by Swish on Facebook. It looks like a guy about to propose, scenes like this excites me so I watched until the end and surprisingly the video has a twist at the ending. No, I wont spill the beans and I'll let you watch it for yourself. 

Here it is:

You can view the video on their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SwishOfficial/

Isn't it funny? All along I thought it's about to get romantic, haha! Even though the video didn't turn out to be the way most people expect it to be, but the video sure taught us lesson. A lesson on how to always stay confident and prepared by highlighting the importance of having fresh breath even in an instant which is now possible with just 1 #superpump of Swish Breath Spray! Lucky me I received some for me to try, thanks Unilab!


Well, we all know that brushing our teeth is part of our everyday hygiene it gives us fresh breath. But as much as we want to maintain a long lasting fresh breath, unfortunately we can't. The moment we eat, the smell of these foods invade our mouth so when we speak we might be breathing out the smell of garlic, onion or whichever food we ate. Yikes!


I've been in this kind of situation several times already because blogging and my job requires me to attend events, meet and socialize with different people. However, after eating and with few sips of drinks I tend to lose my confidence and avoid conversations making me lose a lot of opportunities. Only because I'm conscious with what my breath would smell like. How I wish I can brush my teeth or gargle with mouth wash but there's just no time! This is also the same thing when I attend PTA meeting at my kids' school. Sometimes I bring candies with me but it's not enough it doesn't kill the bacteria that causes foul breath and it makes me prone to tooth decay too. That's why I'm so glad when I found out about this Swish Breath Spray, indeed it's a life saver!


Here are the thing I love about the Swish Breath Spray: 
  • It provides instant fresh breath in just 10 seconds. Perfect when you're on the go.
  • It comes in convenient 10ml bottles, very handy.
  • It kills bad breath-causing bacteria so it doesn’t just mask odor.
  • It comes in 2 flavors to choose from: Arctic Chill and Peppermint Fresh.
  • It's sugar-free- fends off cavities, no more tooth decay. 
  • It's alcohol free- no sting.
  • It's affordable. Piso (Php 1) per spray (at P105 and lasts up to 100 sprays) 
  • It's available in Mercury Drug, Watsons, South Star, Robinsons, Puregold, Shopwise and other selected drugstores and/or supermarkets nationwide.
  • It's made by Unilab – a trusted name!

So from now on, this Swish Breath Spray is a definite must have item in my bag. I'm never leaving the house without it! If you have similar experience like mine, it's time to save yourself from any further embarrassment. You don't have to be held captive by foul smelling breath because instant fresh breath can be achieved. Get your confidence back in 3 easy steps, 1. grab your Swish Breath Spray, 2. #superpump and 3. #SayItWithSwish!

For more updates and information about the campaign visit Swish on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SwishOfficial/  
or visit their website: www. sayitwithswish.com

Monday, July 25, 2016

Defeat Dengue thru Allied Against Dengue Movement + Dengue FAQs

7 years ago when I was 7 months pregnant with our eldest, I got really sick. My OB's diagnosis was UTI so she prescribed medicines and sent me home to rest. Two days after, I still wasn't feeling any better in fact I was feeling even more sick, severe headache, fever was still there, my cough and colds was giving me a hard time breathing and I was feeling really weak. And that's when we decided to rush to the emergency room where I was admitted right away. We were all worried especially for the baby inside me, because if I don't get better I might give birth prematurely. A machine was attached to me to closely monitor my baby.  Several laboratory tests were also done until we found out the culprit. My IgM test came back positive for dengue fever! It was a scary news, but I was relieved to learn that it wasn't the hemorrhagic fever which is considered as the severe one. We stayed for a couple more days in the hospital until I was feeling all better. I just then visited my OB frequently to monitor my baby. Thank God everything went well and I was able to deliver my baby healthy and full term.
It was my first personal and scary encounter with dengue, I can't imagine the pain and fear I've been through. Despite being a Nurse who is knowledgeable about the disease and was able to care for dengue patients before, experiencing dengue personally was a totally different thing. I am hoping that no one else in my family gets to experience it too so I'm doing my best in order to prevent it. That is why I'm glad that I was invited to become an Ally against dengue and got to attend the launching of the Allied Against Dengue Movement last July 12, 2016.


DOH Undersecretary Dr. Enrique Tayag, Philippine Pediatric Society Vice President Dra. Salvacion Gatchalian, DOH Disease Prevention and Control Bureau Director Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, GlaxoSmithKline General Manager Heather Pelier, and Calpol mom Jolina Magdangal-Escueta.

The Allied Against Dengue Movement was founded by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Philippines Inc. (GSKCH), united with Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Pharmacist Association Inc. (PPHA), Mercury Drug Corporation (MDC), Smartparenting.com.ph and CNN Philippines to create a non-profit open platform with the aim to empower healthcare providers, organizations and communities; and reduce the impact of dengue on the nation in a holistic manner from prevention and control to management. 

Dengue infection is prevalent in the world and Southeast Asia is the Epicenter of dengue mosquito breeding due to its tropical climate. Here in the Philippines, the disease outbreak is spreading to more areas and impacting more lives. In 2015 there were 200, 415 reported dengue fever cases, a 60% increase over 2014 which had 121,000 cases. This year, the incidence rate even shot higher with cases escalating 33% in the first quarter compared to the same quarter last year.

Proud Allies against Dengue, Top/Seasoned Blogger Rowena Lim of www.animetric.net and Celebrity Calpol mom Jolina Magdangal-Escueta sharing advises and insights about Dengue
The movement aims to lead change and create a bigger impact to society through collaborative partnerships with the DOH, private institutions, healthcare providers, media influencers, and community leaders to help bring down the incidence rate of and deaths caused by dengue fever. And with the deployment of a robust nationwide education campaign through multiple channels, Allied Against Dengue seeks to curb the incidence growth rate and ultimately, make a real difference to the lives of Filipino. The coalition strategy will include: 
  1. Distribution of 50,000 DOH primers to at least 5 public schools in dengue hotspots in Metro Manila
  2. Distribution of 15,000 leaflets to 1,000 pediatricians and general practitioners
  3. Education of proper dengue fever prevention and management to 20 health centers for Baranggay outreach programs
  4. Implementation of Continuous Pharmacy Education (CPE) Program in identified chapters targeting 200 pharmacists
  5. Education and recruitment of at least 1000 Allies Against Dengue through employee engagement, online and on-ground activation.

Through this Allied Against Dengue Movement I learned more about this dreaded disease and as a Proud Ally against dengue I pledged to do my part and share with you this learning.

FAQs about Dengue

1. What causes Dengue Fever?
  • Dengue fever is a virus infection caused by the dengue virus which is acquired through a bite of an infected female Aedes Aegypti or the yellow fever mosquito. 
2. What are the Characteristics of the Aedes Aegypti?
  • They have white stripes
  • Drawn to warm skin
  • Drawn to victims who move a lot
  • Victims bitten on side or back of the body
  • Capable of travelling 50 to 300 meters from breeding area
  • Day biters, with biting peaks 2 hours after sunrise and 2 hours before sunset. 
  • They are abundant during rainy season
  • Lifespan of 20 to 30 days
  • They lay eggs after blood meal
3. How many strains of Dengue virus are there?
  • There are 4 Strains of the Dengue Virus and you only get immunity from the particular virus you got infected with. This means you are still susceptible to acquire dengue fever from the other 3 dengue viruses.
4. How can we prevent Dengue?
  • During the launch of the Allied Against Dengue Movement, DOH Undersecretary Dr. Enrique Tayag encourages everyone to use their 4 S strategy:
  1. Search and destroy mosquito breeding sites. 
  2. Self protection measures like choosing repellents or using mosquito nets during daytime. 
  3. Seek immediate consultation. 
  4. Say NO to indiscriminate fogging and YES during outbreak only.
  • Clean your house everyday paying attention on the gutters and spaces/holes that can accumulate stagnant water. Cover water storage and drums.
5. What re the symptoms of Dengue?
  • High continuous fever that lasts for 2-7 days
  • Hemorrhagic manifestations such as bleeding of the nose or gums
  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Skin Flushing and Rashes
  • Loss of Appetite

6. What can we do at home?
  • There is no medicine or antibiotic that can treat dengue, only symptom management. For fever avoid giving Aspirin or Ibuprofen or NSAIDS as these may aggravate gastritis of bleeding in dengue fever. World Health Organization recommends Paracetamol only like Calpol which is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Philippines Inc.
  • Get enough bed rest
  • Take plenty of fluids
  • Perform tepid sponge baths
7. What are the warning signs of Dengue?

There is no need for hospitalization unless you observe this warning signs then you must seek immidiate medical attention:
  • Fever for more than 2 days
  • Severe abdominal Pain
  • Bleeding Nose and Gums
  • Persistent Vomiting with/without blood
  • Drowsiness, confusion, seizures
  • Difficulty Breathing
  • Pallor, Cold/Clammy Hands or Feet
  • Sleeping most of the time
 Thank you GSK and #AlliedAgainstDengue for inviting me to be part of this movement.
Now that we are equipped with the right information we can totally make a big difference and save not just ourselves but the people around us. I invite everyone to become Proud Allies Against Dengue, share this information to everyone you know and together lets defeat Dengue! 

For more information on Allied Against Dengue and how to be an ally, contact GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Philippines Inc. at 1800-14441-0884/ 1800-8908-8275 or email them at ph.customer-relations@gsk.com